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Year:: 2024
Contributor:: Wang, Sean, (Author); Bledsoe, Thomas A. (Author); Gutman, Deborah (Author)
Subject:: prescription; Polypharmacy; BEERs criteria; geriatric; opoid
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26300/ss3d-7189

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Abstract:: Is Polypharmacy in Geriatric Patients Related to the Number of Prescribing Physicians? A Systematic Chart Review Authors: Sean Wang, Thomas A. Bledsoe, MD, Deborah Gutman, MD, MPH Background: Geriatric patients (aged 65 and up) often suffer from multiple morbidities, necessitating treatment by multiple specialist physicians and resulting in polypharmacy, which poses risks such as adverse drug effects (ADEs).4, 8, 9 The BEERs criteria serves as a crucial screening tool to mitigate issues like ADEs, drug interactions, and prescribing cascades. 6, 12 Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between multiple prescribing physicians and polypharmacy, specifically focusing on Beers criteria medications, among geriatric patients. Methods: Patients aged 65+ from Brown Medicine in the East Providence clinic were analyzed for medications meeting BEERS criteria using an IT-generated report. Chart reviews were conducted on 100 randomly selected patients to collect data on medication names, numbers of medications, prescribing physicians, age, and gender. Statistical analysis and linear regression were performed on the data. Results: Out of 3090 patients aged 65+, 1982 (64.1%) patients were flagged for taking at least one BEERs medication. The study found a slight positive linear correlation between the total number of medications and the number of prescribers, as well as between BEERs medications and the number of prescribers. Conclusion: Increasing the number of prescribing physicians is slightly positively correlated with the number of BEERs medications among geriatric patients. Primary care practices should establish communication systems between primary care and specialist physicians to optimize medication management. Moreover, enhanced involvement of clinical pharmacists is recommended to develop optimal treatment plans.3, 7 Acknowledgments: The study acknowledges the contributions of clinical pharmacist Austin Faria and Brown Medicine IT department members Douglas Osier Jr, Connor Lofstrom, and Brad Crough.

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Wang, Sean,, Bledsoe, Thomas A., and Gutman, Deborah, "Is Polypharmacy in Geriatric Patients Related to the Number of Prescribing Physicians? A Systematic Chart Review" (2024). Gateways to Medicine, Health Care, and Research. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://doi.org/10.26300/ss3d-7189

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Gateways to Medicine, Health Care, and Research

The Gateways Program at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University provides academically promising, motivated students new pathways to careers in the health sciences. This collection houses scholarly works produced by Master of Science in Medical Sciences (ScM) students …
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Is Polypharmacy in Geriatric Patients Related to the Number of Prescribing Physicians? A Systematic Chart Review